McConnell, Boxer reach highway funding deal

WASHINGTON POST

July 21, 2015

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., on Tuesday announced they have reached a deal to fund highway and transit projects for three years as Congress races to complete work on the legislation before the current transportation program expires at the end of the month.

A procedural vote on the proposal failed 41-56 Tuesday amid opposition by all Democrats and some Republicans, including 2016 presidential candidates Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas.

But McConnell has not yet released details of how his deal with Boxer, the lead Democratic negotiator and ranking member on the Environment and Public Works Committee, would produce the $82 billion needed to cover the infrastructure investments authorized by the legislation. The chairmen of the Finance, Environment and Public Works, Commerce, Science and Transportation and Banking committees were all asked to find savings to help fund the highway bill.

Because the highway bill is viewed as a "must pass" item, it could also get bogged down in fights unrelated to transportation.

For instance, Cruz has vowed to block the bill over concerns that Democrats will try to attach language reauthorizing the controversial Export-Import Bank.

Earlier this year, McConnell promised Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., that she would have the opportunity to offer an amendment to reauthorize the bank, and many expect that she will choose to offer it during consideration of the highway bill.

If leaders can overcome Cruz's objections, it may still be difficult to get the deal through the House. Last week the House passed a bill that would extend highway funding for five months.

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